1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink cartridge detachably mounted on a carriage, and in particular to a cartridge for an ink jet printer.
2. Related Art
A conventional ink cartridge mounted on a carriage for an ink jet printer typically includes a container having on one wall thereof an ink supply port where an ink supply needle of a printing apparatus is inserted, and an opening on the other wall thereof which is sealed by a lid as disclosed, for example, in Japanese published unexamined patent application No. Hei. 8-132635. The container accommodates therein a porous body impregnated with ink. The porous body is formed of polymeric resin.
For an ink cartridge installed in a printing apparatus wherein color printing is enabled, a single container is divided into plural chambers by one or more partitions. A porous body impregnated with ink is housed in each chamber while an ink supply port is formed in each chamber. A film for sealing a respective opening of each ink supply port is provided when mounting the ink cartridge provided with plural ink supply ports as described above on a carriage on which ink supply needles of the same number are secured, the needles must each pierce a respective film. Therefore, a large urging force is required for a user when mounting the cartridge. Therefore, there has been proposed a printing device designed to have a pivotable lever, one end of which is attached to the carriage, so that the ink cartridge can readily be mounted on the carriage by simply operating the lever.
However, although a cartridge can be mounted with small urging force, misposition of the cartridge with respect to the carriage may occur by rough insertion. Further, as the bottom of the cartridge is pushed with large force in a state in which the bottom comes into engagement with ink supply needles in a case where the cartridge is mounted in a wrong direction, there arises a problem that the ink supply needles are broken.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved cartridge for an ink jet printer.
An ink cartridge includes an ink container for accommodating ink therein. An ink supply port is formed on the ink container for receiving an ink supply needle, the ink supply needle communicating with a print head attached to the carriage. One or more recessed parts are formed in the container for receiving a projection protruding from the carriage of the printing apparatus; the recessed part being formed in a position to face the projection. The projection is formed in the vicinity of the ink supply needle in a state in which when the ink cartridge is installed in a regular, proper direction the projection of the carriage inserts into the recessed part of the ink cartridge. The height of the protrusion is designed to be higher than that of the ink supply needle.
When the ink cartridge is properly mounted on the carriage of the printing apparatus, the projection on the carriage first fits into the recessed part of the cartridge, and then the ink supply needle inserts into the ink supply port of the cartridge by further urging the ink cartridge against the carriage. On the other hand, if the ink cartridge is mounted in an improper direction, the projection first comes into abutment against the bottom of the cartridge, and the cartridge cannot be mounted on the carriage.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink cartridge capable of fitting onto one or more ink supply needles communicating with a print head only when the cartridge is in a proper position with respect to an ink-jet printing apparatus.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an ink cartridge capable of preventing the ink supply needle of a printing apparatus from being broken due to improper installation of the ink cartridge on the ink-jet printing apparatus.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.